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Game Of the Week: Zhao vs. Batsiashvili - Women’s FIDE GP Theran

Opening: D37: QGD: 4.Nf3

Player(s): Zhao, Batsiashvili

Three-time U.S. Champion GM Joel Benjamin brings you a new show every Friday at 15:00 Server Time. Joel is regarded by many as one of the best commentators and analysts' we have in the game today -- so if you want to get ahead of the game, get ready to tune-in!

The rather disquieting images of women wrapped in head scarves from the Women's Grand Prix in Tehran have taken most of the attention, but there are some interesting games there, too. In this week's feature, we see an odd junction of theory and creativity in the battle between Zhao Xue of China and Georgian Nino Batsiashvili. Zhao's sacrifice on move 12 was likely planned in advance. If Batsiashvili, who famously drew Magnus Carlsen in Qatar, was expecting it, she must have forgotten something. Let's take a closer look at this short, sharp struggle.